The epic poem, Beowulf, may have been written thousands of years ago, but its message is surprisingly modern. Beowulf is all about what it takes to be a heroic king. In this epic poem, the main character, Beowulf, is at first a hero for reasons you might only find in a fantasy story-he fights monsters bare-handed, he possesses superhuman powers, and he saves an entire nation from terrible, lurking beasts that no one else dares to fight. But Beowulf’s heroism is about more than just his dragon-slaying skills. In fact, even with all the fantasy-style action, this poem actually spends a fair amount of time of Beowulf’s qualities. He is courageous and generous. He is strong and cunning. He is indifferent to death, and he puts others’ well-being